Poland Gets Its First Environmental Green Light For Offshore Wind

Polenergia SA, a vertically integrated energy group in Poland, says it has received the country’s first environmental permit for the construction of an offshore wind farm.

The Regional Directorate of Environmental Protection in Gdansk gave the permit for the Baltic Środkowy III, which has a planned capacity of 600 MW and would be situated 23 kilometers off the northern coast in the Baltic Sea.

The wind farm would comprise 120 5 MW turbines with a height of 275 meters each. Construction is planned for 2019; commercial operations would begin in either 2021 or 2022, the company says, adding that the project would have a life span of 25 years.

Polenergia expects a decision to be made on another 600 MW portion of the project later this year.

“The issue of the first environmental decision for offshore wind farms in Poland is a critical milestone in the development of these projects,” says Jacek Glowacki, who heads Polenergia. “The total capacity of the planned farm is 1,200 MW, which is three times higher than the capacity of onshore wind farm projects which have been suspended due to the distance limitations. We expect that this year both of our projects in the Baltic Sea will be issued environmental decisions.”